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What are Canine Qualifications?
If you want to employ the services of a canine expert then they must be trained specifically in dog behaviour. Animal behaviour study is different and contains a much diluted form of canine behaviour related study and cannot be compared to a qualification specific to dog behaviour.
It is important that the person you see for your dogs behaviour is highly skilled, trained, and most of all experienced, with a history of client centred and canine behaviour success. These successes should encompass canine behaviour solutions where extensive handling skill of all breeds has been needed, especially in the area of dog on dog aggression and dog on person aggression. The CFBA select from Britain’s top academic and vocationally trained canine practitioners.
Government & Industry Leaders
To help with public confidence in the profession, we have appropriate checks and balances accreditation through courses from university Foundation degree level through to MA Degree standard.
We work with the Animal Welfare Committees of Parliament and the most senior pet organisations in the UK like the Pet Education Training and Behaviour Council whose rules we adhere to. This organisation works towards bringing all organisations under one umbrella to help consolidate the best standards in dog behaviour in the United Kingdom and has led the way towards high standards of care and knowledge. Other species, such as felines, are all also represented.
The PETbc was the first organisation to be formed during the Companion Animal Welfare Council (CAWC) meetings and the Chairman, David Cavill, was complimented on the formation of it by none other than Sir Colin Spedding (who was chairing the CAWC meetings) saying that he hoped all the other organisations would join. The PETbc has much veterinary science support and is now leading the way forward for the benefit of all pet species, but especially canines.
The second main organisation we work with, and are members of, is The Registration Council for Dog Training and Behaviour Practitioners (RCDTBP) a transparent and collaborative organisation with access to a vast pool of knowledge for the media, the public and research organisations. The PETbc and the RCDTBP together make up the largest group of professionals in Britain who have the skills to rehabilitate problem dog behaviour in the entire spectrum of behaviour problems presented.
What is an Expert in Dog Behaviour?
It is important that the public become more aware of who they choose to see their dog and that the person they choose is properly trained, not just academically but, of equal if not more importance, has extensive vocational experience. Animal Behaviour is NOT a qualification of specific expertise in dog behaviour: it is too general and most cases the degree has little canine specific module content or none at all.
Animal behaviour degrees do not teach practical hands on experience with dogs, 
especially not with serious behaviour issues like aggression. The students therefore have no exposure to a behaviour that is becoming more common in society, neither do they have access to the experience which will take years of critical training to achieve.
We use the University of Middlesex Academic courses that incorporate and appreciate past canine behaviour experience, experience vocationally and moreover accept courses which are canine or feline specific. If you want the best canine or feline practitioners you need specialised academic qualifications gained in these subjects and which have real dogs in real situations being used for teaching the nation’s future experts from University Certificate to Masters Degree Level.
If you wish to read more about what qualifications are recognised and what the generally accepted standards are in canine behaviour, see the Pet education Training & Behaviour Council
The Canine & Feline Behaviour Association
Chairman
Colin Tennant FCFBA.